Twitch, bounce, twitch, bounce, twitch, ON!!!
We have found that for targeting kob, this is the most effective retrieve to use. Make no mistake, we have hooked kob on flat-out retrieves whilst specifically targeting leeries, but nothing comes close to the turnover ratio of the “The Bounce Retrieve”.
Here follows our interpretation of the bounce retrieve
“Please keep in mind that kob, especially the dusky numbers are critically low, help save a specie by releasing your catch with care.”
Identify an area where you think the kob will be feeding. Now pick a spot a few meters beyond that, where you intend your cast lure to land. Once the lure hits the water, let it sink to the bottom. We tend to work on the 3-5 second rule, depending on the depth of the area we are fishing.
Wind up the slack in your line while you drop the tip of your rod towards the spot your lure landed. When you feel tension on your line, lift your rod tip back up to about 70 degrees from where you started. The lift should be gentle, imitating a bait fish swimming off the bottom. You can add a second twitch to your lift between the 70 degree and 90 degree mark after an ever so slight pause on the initial lift. We normally use the single lift without the second twitch, but this can be used as a bit of variation when the fishing is slow.
Once you have reached the top of the lift, generally 90 degrees from the level your rod was at the start, you can drop your rod tip back down. Reel up the slack as you do this. This will cause your lure to drop down to the bottom and you can start the second lift. Repeat this process until you have retrieved your cast.
An easy way to fix the range of the lift is to drop your rod tip until you are pointing to where you think your lure is at that moment, end then lift the tip up till it is pointing straight up in the air.
A retrieve with smooth and steady actions works best and erratic, jerky actions tend to work less well for kob.
The bounce retrieve sounds simpler in theory than it actually is in practice. We have spent many hours trying to perfect this retrieve. There are so many factors that influence it, the waves, the current, the depth of the water you are fishing, the color of the water and the list is endless. You need to adapt the basic technique to match the water you are fishing.
